It was a sad year to be a Raiders fan. The team made the move to Las Vegas at the end of the 2019 NFL season, making the sleek and ultra-modern Allegiant Stadium their home. Sadly, for so many, including Guy Ferrari, the stadium was unable to welcome fans inside.
The Raiders’ fans and California sports bettors remaining in the Bay Area watched another year of ups and downs as their Raiders flamed out and missed the postseason for the 16th time in the last 17 seasons.
But hope is on the horizon – for both fans and the team – as the 2021 NFL season will welcome fans back, and the team should improve on their 2020 record of 8-8.
Derek Carr is a Quality Quarterback
Derek Carr has taken a lot of flack in his career – some deserving – but if you take a closer look at his numbers, he is not the problem for the Las Vegas Raiders. Over the last three seasons, only two quarterbacks have thrown for over 4000 yards with ten or fewer inceptions – Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr.
Carr did about as much as he could in 2020 – finishing top ten in many passing categories, including quarterback rating, yards per attempt, completion percentage, and percentage of passes intercepted. It is hard to fault him for the Raiders’ woes last season when their first-round pick Henry Ruggs III finished with 452 receiving yards – less than eight rookie receivers (all picked after him) – and the team still has a non-existence pass rush after trading Khalil Mack three seasons ago.
If the Raiders can add a few pieces in free agency, draft well this offseason and Ruggs shakes off his rookie jitters, the Raiders should compete for one of the three wild card spots in 2021.
The Stadium Food Experience Will Be Amazing
Las Vegas is renowned for celebrity chefs opening restaurants in the city – so it should not be a surprise that many famous chefs planned to open a restaurant in Allegiant Stadium before, well, everything that happened in 2020. One chef recently interviewed on the podcast Pardon My Take – Guy Ferrari – talked about the disappointment of trying to get ready to open shop in the shiny new stadium only for the doors to be closed to fans.
However, 2021 should welcome the return of fans, and with fans in the stands, the food vendors will finally open – and we will finally get a taste of Italian stadium fare from Ferrari along with a FukuBurger and some Graffiti Bao.
A Destination for all Football Fans
The Raiders fans in Oakland were known for some of the wildest costumes ever adorned in a stadium. While some of those fans will likely take the 90-minute flight to watch their old team – we can expect a large contingent of fans from other cities flocking to Las Vegas for a chance to watch their home teams.
The T-Mobile Arena, home of the Vegas Golden Knights, saw fans of other teams fill the stands – especially in their first season. Fans from other teams still frequent the arena, and you can expect the same for the Raiders – maybe even more as the chance to see your team play in Las Vegas (excluding AFC West rivals) may only happen once every two, three, even eight years.
Fans coming to town is definitely a positive – especially as Las Vegas looks to recover after a rough 12+ months.
Everything Leading to (Hopefully) Hosting Super Bowl LVIII
With New Orleans withdrawing as the host of Super Bowl LVIII – the door is open for the Big Game happening in Las Vegas. The National Football League offered the city the chance to fill the void, and we cannot fathom a reason why the Raiders and city of Las Vegas would turn down the opportunity.
Thousands of people flock to where the Super Bowl is happening – just to be a part of the festivities and enjoy the energy pulsating through the city. For football fans – especially the ones who enjoy betting on the sport – the chance to enjoy the game in Las Vegas would be the ultimate experience.
